Adjustable sponge mop refill for mops



Sept. 13, 1955 M. HERMAN ET AL ADJUSTABLE SPONGE MOP REFILL FOR MOPS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1954 N B M M m w N R V W w m E M MS Y B IQ m w w I a J a a a p a H d W I Q W J P a J) a! I II" p 3 5 M. HERMANETAL 2,717,406

ADJUSTABLE SPONGE MOP REFILL FOR MOPS Filed Aug. 50, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTORS MOE HERMAN SA M HE RMAN United States Pat This inventionrelates to sponge mops and, more particularly, to a refill adapted for.connection to an associated support plate of a sponge mop handle.

Finding increasing favor among housewives at the present time are mopshaving removable and replaceable heads of cellulosic sponge material.Conventionally, the mop head includes a sponge body to which ispermanently connected an inexpensive plate having fastening elementssuch as screws and wing nuts extending therethrough. This head isconnected to an associated handle which is of permanent construction.and includes a mounting plate having openings receiving the. fasteningelements. When the mop head is tobe discarded, the wing nuts are removedand the head is replaced witha new oneofsimilar construction.

Ordinarily, the mop head can be attached to onlyone, or at the mosttwoor three, makesof handles. This is mainly due to. thefact that thespacing of the screws of a conventional mop refill (this being the termgenerally applied to the removable head) cannot be, changed. The spacingon the mop handle plate must, accordingly, be the same as that of therefill.

The main object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide asponge mop refill universally applicable to any of a substantial numberof different mop handles attachment plates in current use. In carryingout this object, the invention, in each form thereof, includes a refillplate having aligned longitudinal slots, with the fastening elementsbeing adjustable lengthwise of said slots toward and away from oneanother to locate said elements a selected, adjusted distance apart,corresponding to the spacing or" the openings of theparticularattachment platesof the mop handle on which the refill is tobe, used.

Other objects of importance are:

To achieve universal usage of the refill without. increasing its costmaterially;

To so interrelate the screws and slot walls .as to hold the screwsagainst rotation in each position to which they are adjusted;

And, in at least one form, to permit the screws to be first extendedthrough the mop handle attachment plate openings, and then inserted inthe, slots so as to automatically adjust the screws to the properlocations lengthwise of'the slots, threading of wing nuts onto the,screws thereafter serving to bias the slot walls into engagement withopposite sides of the screw to-hold the same against rotation.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of .the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevariousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective. view of a mop refill formed inaccordance with the present invention, in association with a mop handleof conventionalconstruction, said handle beingillustrated fragmentarily.

ice

, 2 Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan viewof the refill per se. Fig. 3.isiasectionaliview on line 33 of Fig. 2-.

Fig. 4 ,isastiIlfurther enlarged sectional view on line Hot Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is-atransverse sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig, 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form immediatelypriorto attachment of the refill to the mounting plate of the handle.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 in which the operation ofattachingthe refill to the mounting plate has been completedbutwithaportionof the sponge broken away.

Fig. 8. is a fragmentary perspective view ofthe refill shown in Figs. 6and 7-.

Thereference numeral 10 has been applied generally. to aconventionalmop. handle including an elongated handle member lz engaged'fixedly in aferrule 14 rigid with the midlength portion of a rectangularmounting plate 16 having an upwardlyv ofiset body portion 18 in whichopenlugs 21}, spaced longitudinally and centrally of the same, areformed. The refill 2; constituting the present invention includesasponge ,body 24 the top surface of which may be inclined ,to disposethehandle 10 in a properly inclined; position Permanently secured by astrong adhesive to the transversely' inclined top surface of sponge body24 is a rectangular plate 26' rigidified by the pressing of longitudinalribs 28 thereinto adjacent its respective longitudinal edges.

Aligned=with one another longitudinally and centrally of theipl ate areraised portions 30. These are of elongatedformati'on, and extendlongitudinally of the plate, the -port ions"terminati'ng short of themidlength point of the plate so as to define a space therebetween.Portions 30-.attheir outer ends are rounded, and formed in the portions30, for substantially the full length thereof, are longitudinal slots32. The slots 32 are formed in the :portions 3'0'-.at the creststhereof, and as will be noted the slotsnterminate shortof the outer endsof the respective portions '30, so as to close the slots at one end. Attheir other ends, the slots are open, and are in communication withtransverse, short slots 34 extending the width of the portions 30 at theinner ends thereof. 7 e

A screw 36 is removably engaged in each slot. Screw 36, at its base,has'a fiat portion 38 lying in a plane in- .cl'udingIthe axis of thescrew, saidportion 38 merging into a :conicalhead 40. In the form shownin'Fig s. 1 -5,

3 head .40-is substantially wider at its base than slot 32.

Elm: use, the. screws 36 are engaged in the slots 32, and areadjusted-jlongitudinally of the slots to any selected location, so as toalign the screws with the openings 20 of the particular mounting plate16' to which the refill is to beconnecteda The screws are then extendedthrough theopenings 20, and wing nuts 41 are threaded thereupon -bearingagainst the mounting plate 16 so asto jfixedly' connect the refill tothe mop handle.

The vwingnuts 41initia-lly will be threadable with ease into engagementwith the plates 16, without any tendency-on the part ofthe screws torotate. As the wing nuts begin to tighten-against the plate 16, thescrews 36 would ordinarily tend to rotate. However, the flattened parts38.areof a diameter greater than the width of their associated' slots32, as will be readily noted from Fig. 5.

"Further, the. edges of the slots 32 occur medially betweentheupperandilower ends ofthe flattened parts 38. Therefore,when thescrew 36 starts to rotate, diametrically opposite portions of theflattened parts 38, at opposite sides of-said flattened parts, willengage against the edges of the slot 32, w ith' thefiattened parts 38now being disposed obliquely ;to-.=the slot edges as shown. indash-dotted lines .in, Fig, 5. The. wing nuts can now be tightenedwithout danger of the screws rotating.

, Whenathe wing-nuts are -to be .removed,.the screws. will used with anyconventional mop turn to the chain-clotted positions shown in Fig. 5,and again will be held against rotation.

The construction permits the refill to be universally handle of thegeneral type shown in Fig. l. The spacing of the openings of saidhandles differs, according to the various makes of handles. Theuniversal refill, however, can be attached to any of the handles, sincethe screws 36 can beadjustably spaced within a wide range.

In Figs. 6-8 a modified form is shown wherein the refill 22 has a flatplate 26* secured to the top surface of the mop body 24. In this form,transverse slits, spaced longitudinally of plate 26 and designated at42, are formed in the plate 26 The slits terminate short of the oppositelongitudinal edges of plate 26 The slits are arranged in pairs, therebeing one pair at one side of the midlength point of the plate 26 andthe other pair at the other side. Between the slits of each pair thereis extended, longitudinally and centrally of the plate 26*, a slot 32The slot 32 is defined between the transversely spaced free edges ofraised flange elements 45 that are defined by formation of the slits 42,and are forced upwardly out of the plane of the plate 26 The flangeelements are of springable characteristics, and are ordinarily in theposition shown in Fig. 6, before attachment of the refill to a mophandle. The flange elements at each side of a slot 32 togetherconstitute a raised portion analogous to the portion 30 at each end ofthe plate 26 in the first form of the invention.

On the free, upwardly offset longitudinal edges of the respective flangeelements, there are formed lips 44. The lips 44 extend the length of theflange elements, and are inclined transversely thereof, the lips beingturned downwardly in the direction of the longitudinal center line ofplate 26, and when seen in cross section being in downwardly convergingrelation to one another. The provision of the lips 44 defines crestparts 46 on the respective flange elements.

Normally, the slots 32* are of a width greater than the diameter of thehead 40 of the screw. As a result, the screw can be first attached tothe mop handle plate 16, by extension through the openings 20.Thereafter, wing nuts 41 can be applied and are threaded downwardlyuntil they engage the plate 16 against the top portions of the flattenedparts 38 of the screws.

With the body portion 18 of the plate 16 engaged between the fiat part38 and the wing nut 41, the plate 16 is lowered as shown by the arrow inFig. 6, the head 46 of each screw moving into the associated slots 32*.

Continued movement of the head 40 into the slot 32 will ultimately bringthe underside of body portion 18 against the crest parts 46. The usernow presses downwardly on the plate 16, and this will cause the lips 44to be forced toward one another to narrow the slots 32 this actionobtaining by reason of the springable characteristics of the flangeelements 45. This brings the lips 44 into engagement with opposite sidesof the flattened part 38 as shown in Fig. 7, to prevent rotation of thescrew 36. With the plate 16 held in this position momentarily, the usertightens the wing nuts 41, until the two plates have been tightlyconnected.

The form shown in Figs. 6-8 has the advantage that it does not requireone to visually adjust the screws 36 in an attempt to space them apart adistance corresponding to the spacing between openings 20. While themaking of such adjustment visually is not particularly difficult, thearrangement shown in Figs. 68 permits the screws to be first attached tothe plate 16, after which they will be automatically properly spacedlongitudinally of the plate 26 when extended into the slots 32 While wehave illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of ourinvention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right "is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate afilxed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions,

said fastening means comprising screws having integral heads underlyingthe raised portions, said fastening means further comprising nutsthreadable upon said screws against the mounting plate after extensionof the screws through the openings of the mounting plate.

2. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate affixed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions, said fasteningmeans comprising screws having integral heads underlying the raisedportions, said fastening means further comprising nuts threadable uponsaid screws against the mounting plate after extension of the screwsthrough the openings of the mounting plate, the screws having flatdisc-shaped parts in proximity to the heads thereof, said flat partsbeing greater in diameter than the width of the slots, to engage againstopposite edges of the slots and thereby prevent rotation of the screws.

3. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate affixed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the'openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions, said fasteningmeans comprising screws having heads underlying the raised portions,said fastening means further comprising nuts threadable upon said screwsagainst the mounting plate after extension of the screws through theopenings of the mounting plate, the screwshaving flat disc-shaped partsin proximity to the heads thereof, said flat parts being greater indiameter than the width of the slots, to engage against opposite edgesof the slots and thereby prevent rotation of the screws, the slots beingclosed at one end.

4. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate aflixed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions, said fasteningmeans comprising screws having heads underlying the raised portions,said fastening means further comprising nuts threadable upon said screwsagainst the mounting plate after extension of the screws through theopenings of the mounting plate, the screws having flat disc-shaped partsin proximity to the heads thereof, said flat parts being greater indiameter than the width of the slots, to engage against opposite edgesof the slots and thereby prevent rotation of the screws, said raisedportions each comprising a pair of upwardly ofiset flange elements ofspringable material, said flange elements being yieldably andresiliently shiftable in the direction of the sponge mop body to reducethe width of the slot defined therebetween.

5. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate aifixed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions, said fasteningmeans comprising screws having heads underlying the raised portions,said fastening means further comprising nuts threadable upon said screwsagainst the mounting plate after extension of the screws through theopenings of the mounting plate, the screws having flat disc-shaped partsin proximity to the heads thereof, said flat parts being greater indiameter than the width of the slots, to engage against opposite edgesof the slots and thereby prevent rotation of the screws, said raisedportions each comprising a pair of upwardly offset flange elements ofspringable material, said flange elements being yieldably andresiliently shiftable in the direction of the spon e mop body to reducethe width of the slot defined therebetween, each flange element having alip formed thereon and extending along the adjacent side of the slot.

6. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate affixed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions, said fasteningmeans comprising screws having heads underlying the raised portions,said fastening means further comprising nuts threadable upon said screwsagainst the mounting plate after extension of the screws through theopenings of the mounting plate, the screws having flat disc-shaped partsin proximity to the heads thereof, said flat parts being greater indiameter than the width of the slots, to engage against opposite edgesof the slots and thereby prevent rotation of the screws, said raisedportions each comprising a pair of upwardly offset flange elements ofspringable material, said flange elements being yieldably andresilientlyshiftable in the direction of the sponge mop body to reduce the width ofthe slot defined therebetween, each flange element having a lip formedthereon and extending along the adjacent side of the slot, said lipsconverging in a downward direction to define crest parts on therespective flange elements, said mounting plate being engageable againstsaid crest parts to force the flange elements downwardly to engage thelips against opposite sides of said flat parts, thereby to bind thescrews against rotation.

7. For attachment to a mop handle mounting plate having spaced openings,a sponge mop refill comprising an elongated sponge mop body, anelongated plate afiixed thereto having longitudinal slots registrablewith said openings, and fastening means adjustable longitudinally of theslots into registration with said openings for extension of said meansthrough the openings to connect the plates, said slots being spacedapart at opposite sides of the midlength point of the refill plate, andbeing aligned longitudinally of the body, said refill plate havingraised portions extending longitudinally and centrally thereof, theslots being formed in the crests of said raised portions, said fasteningmeans comprising screws having heads underlying the raised portions,said fastening means further comprising nuts threadable upon said screwsagainst the mounting plate after extension of the screws through theopenings of the mounting plate, the screws having flat disc-shaped partsin proximity to the heads thereof, said flat parts being greater indiameter than the width of the slots, to engage against opposite edgesof the slots and thereby prevent rotation of the screws, said raisedportions each comprising a pair of upwardly offset flange elements ofspringable material, said flange elements being yieldably andresiliently shiftable in the direction of the sponge mop body to reducethe width of the slot defined therebetween, the refill plate having aplurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending slits, therebeing slits at opposite ends of each flange element, said slits beingdisposed at opposite ends of each slot, whereby to permit the flangeelements to be struck upwardly out of the material of the refill plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,214,247 Wescott Jan. 30, 1917 1,862,404 Jayne June 7, 1932 2,663,042Richards et a1 Dec. 22, 1953 2,683,887 Bell July 24, 1954

